Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence received.

Councillor R Blunt declared a disclosable non-pecuniary interest in item 9 - Recycling Credits, as a Member of the Cabinet at Leicestershire County Council and would leave the meeting for the consideration of this item.

Councillor N J Rushton stated that should the debate on item 5 – Capital Programmes – General Fund, Coalville Special Expenses and Housing Revenue Account (H.R.A). Projected Outturn 2014/15 and Draft Programmes 2015/16 to 2019/20 go into detail relating to the operations of the market he would declare a disclosable pecuniary interest, as the owner of the indoor market in Ashby de la Zouch and would leave the meeting.

There were no public questions received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2014

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2014.

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor A V Smith and

RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2014 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Reason for decision: To comply with the Constitution.

Report of the Head of Finance

Presented by the Corporate Portfolio Holder

The Corporate Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members.

He highlighted the details in the report and advised Members that Policy Development Group would consider the report on 7 January 2015 and Cabinet would be asked to approve its final recommendations on 10 February 2015.

Councillor R D Bayliss highlighted that it was planned to invest £5.29 million in improving tenants homes for 2015/16.

Councillor A V Smith advised Members that, through Section 106 contributions, a wellbeing centre would be developed at Hood Park Leisure Centre which would include refurbishment of the dry side changing rooms.

It was moved by Councillor N J Rushton, seconded by Councillor R D Bayliss and

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    Cabinet approves the projected outturn for the General Fund, Coalville Special Expenses and H.R.A. Capital Programmes for 2014/15 and planned financing.

2.    Cabinet approves for consultation the draft capital programmes in 2015/16 detailed in:

·         Appendix “A” General Fund  and Special Expenses Capital Schemes

·         Appendix “B” for HRA Capital Schemes.

Reason for decision:To enable projects to be included in the Programmes for consultation.

Report of the Director of Services

Presented by the Regeneration and Planning Portfolio Holder

The Regeneration and Planning Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members.

He thanked the Senior Planning Officer for his hard work on the report and highlighted to Members that the development would provide the creation of jobs for the area, see improvements to the highways infrastructure and improve air quality. He drew Members’ attention to the additional information that had been circulated prior to the meeting and advised that the comments made were not planning issues and therefore did not affect the recommendations before them.

In response to the concerns raised by Long Whatton and Diseworth Parish Council, the Director of Services advised Members that at this stage Cabinet was being asked to agree the views of the Council and that the Parish Councils had the opportunity to register their views separately. He also added that the Community Fund would form part of the Section 106 Agreement which was a separate ongoing process, but assistance would be provided to the Parishes where needed to apply for the fund.

Councillor N J Rushton stated that any assistance to the Parish Council would be very useful.

It was moved by Councillor T J Pendleton, seconded by Councillor R D Bayliss and

RESOLVED THAT:

Cabinet agree:

1.    To support the contents and findings of the Local Impact Report and confirm that it is appropriate to submit when required by the examining body;

2.    To delegate authority to the Director of Services in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder to provide a representation to the examining authority supporting the development proposals.

Reason for decision: To enable Cabinet to determine the contents of the Local Impact Report which assesses the key impacts on the District as well as a determination as to whether the District Council submit a separate representation either supporting or objecting to the development proposals.

Report of the Head of Finance

Presented by the Corporate Portfolio Holder

The Corporate Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members.

Following a question from Councillor R Blunt, the Section 151 Officer advised Members that although collection rates had been below target in the first part of the financial year they were improving and should be on target by the year end.

It was moved by Councillor N J Rushton, seconded by Councillor R D Bayliss and

RESOLVED THAT:

1. Cabinet approves the write offs over £10,000 detailed in this report.

2. Cabinet notes the amounts written off under delegated powers.

Reason for decision: To comply with proper accounting practices.

Having declared a disclosable non-pecuniary interest in item 9 Councillor R Blunt left the meeting and Councillor A V Smith took the chair for the remainder of the meeting

The officers consider that the press and public should be excluded during consideration of the following items in accordance with Section 100(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 as publicity would be likely to result in disclosure of exempt or confidential information.

By affirmation of the meeting it was

RESOLVED THAT:

In pursuance of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that the business to be transacted involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act and that the public interest in maintaining this exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Reason for decision: To enable the consideration of exempt information.

Report of the Director of Services

Presented by the Community Services Portfolio Holder

The Community Services Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members.

She advised Members that since the September meeting the Council had been served the Direction from the County Council and that Cabinet was being asked to agree to further work being carried out by officers on the use of the contingency sum that they had agreed in September and prepare options on the future recycling collections policy that would be reported back to Cabinet at a later date.

Following questions from Member, The Director of Services advised Members that whilst the District Council was the collecting authority there was no statutory obligation to collect green waste separately to other waste.  He added that under the current arrangements, the District Council collects the green waste separately which means the waste is recycled and not disposed of via landfill and therefore creates a saving for the County Council as disposal authority as it does not incur landfill tax charges.  These savings are then currently shared with the District Council as recycling credits and it is these credit payments that the County Council proposes to withdraw. He stated that a further report would be brought to Cabinet detailing the future options for the District.

It was moved by Councillor A V Smith, seconded by Councillor R D Bayliss and

RESOLVED THAT:

Cabinet:

1.    Notes the Green Waste Direction served on the Council by Leicestershire County Council on 21 November 2014;

2.    Agrees the officers should do further work on this matter and report back to Cabinet once this has been done, which will include recommendations as to the use of the £300,000 contingency sum in the Medium Term Financial Strategy which was previously set aside to mitigate the loss of green waste recycling credits in 2015/16;

3.    Notes that officers will also prepare an options report for Cabinet on the future Recycling Collections Policy taking into account the financial implications of Leicestershire County Council’s future intentions for recycling credits.

Reason for decision: For Cabinet to note the potential financial impact of the withdrawal of recycling credits from 15/16 onwards.